Football: Norway take control

Thursday 24 June 1999 23:02 BST

Click to followThe Independent Online

IT WAS NOT exactly what fans had in mind when they talked about more exposure for women's football. After Linda Medalen scored in Norway's 7-1 victory over Canada in Landover, Maryland on Wednesday night, she lifted her shirt over her head.

"That's because the men do it," said Medalen, whose goal made her the joint top scorer in the women's World Cup. "I was joking to the team that only men do it. Of course, I'm crazy so I had to do it."

The defending champions controlled the game from the kick-off against inferior opponents, whom they beat 7-0 in the 1995 World Cup, to become the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals.

The forward Ann Kristin Aarones, who sat out the opening match with a knee injury and a virus, led the onslaught with two goals in front of a crowd of 16,448.

"If we use the whole field, we can go as far as the finals," said Medalen.

In the second game at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, Sweden beat Australia 3-1 in Group D, while in Portland, Oregon, there were two one-sided games. Russia beat Japan 5-0 in Group C, while China beat Ghana 7-0 in Group D.